Slobodan

Wining complete battle can be done, but casualties sustained are too big imo and not worth it. Especially since following battles are also meat grinder and will drain even big man pool fast. On other hand, devs just released patch to make winning as CSA on first day even harder, so I'm not sure if that can be done anymore.

As CSA I think it's a must to win on phase 1, too many casualties if you do complete battle (Union keep attacking all the time) Also won it doing similar strategy as described above , it''s hard but can be done.

+1

Well, I'm playing my campaign on BG level, and I was able to win every single battle so far with preserving solid manpower in reserve. In last battle (Cold Harbor) I've fielded 72k troops (although depleting my reserves) and, since I won on first day, my manpower reserve will get filled again I guess. My point is that, with some careful planning, each battle can be won with acceptable losses (lesser than gained from victory)...at least on BG level.

After playing Saunder's fields as CSA, I must say that there is noticeable improvement in 20pdr Parrots. Now, they have actual usage (with long range canister)

Same question here...doesn't really make sense to re-do whole campaign this late if next patch will also require restart. I'll be continuing my current campaign anyway, bug is not that essential and I'm eager to checkout new battles

I usually mix State of origin and "nickname" For instance: Tennessee Tigers, Florida Vipers, South Carolina Lions, Texas Rangers, Virginia Emerald Greens, Kentucky Orphans etc. Of course, 1st brigade in 1st division of 1st Corps is always Stonewall Brigade And, as a rule, brigade gets named after reaching 2* level

Actually, I think I was able to field one 2000 men strong brigade with Fayettevilles at Fredriksburg. pre-Gains I agree it's not realistic to have even smaller brigade equipped. My point is that you should start investing in them from start, and than you'll get enough of them once they are really essential.

Hm, if you don't take all objectives on 1st day you actually lose battle To defend at Jay's Mill and Brotherton Road: place your brigades in woods, on both side of roads where Yankees are coming. Place some artillery behind your infantry brigades. Always try to move your troops to flank enemy wherever opportunity arise. When reinforcements start to coming, use them (most of them anyway) to strengthen your week points. I also had several Calvary brigades (2 Mounted inf and 1 Melee Cav) as reinforcements, which I used to harass enemy with attacks from behind, destroy routing enemy and more crucially to capture some supply wagons (since there's no way you have enough supplies for whole day battle).

I actually had 2 full 2000 men brigades armed with Fayettevilles at Chickamauga (with ~500 more guns in reserve). I used reputation points to buy every single Fayeetteville I could and also bought all available in armory (they replenish after each major battle). Worth of note is that on Brandy station you also get Fayettevilles from your 2 inf brigades, so it's also a kind of free replenishment Imo they are great guns, my 2 3* brigades mentioned (along with 3rd 3* brigade armed with 1861 Spencers) really won me a battle of Chickamauga...so I would say Fayettvilles are a must for CSA player.

I broke Union front at Viniard Field using my best brigades, than they push north flanking Union troops. Try using this approach (I had similar army as you and lost only 16k to Union 41k)

Which level you are playing on ? There are some useful tips in forum. My favorite strategy is to defend in woods around Dunkerk church as long as possible and detach some troops from Sunken road and Sharpsburg to defend at stone bridge. That should work.

I play as CSA on brig level, and I used my reputation points solely on buying weapons (rifles and 24 pdrs). In my campaign I kept my army very small up untill Antientam, which allowed me to build healthy pool of reserves (some 22k before Chickamauga). I think investing in Politics (career points) early on is a must really.

As a Confederates, I always finish it on 2nd day (probably the reason I haven't seen all of my troops from reinforcing corps come to think about it )

Will do it next time but one battle comes to mind immediately: Chickamauga 1st day: lost the battle even that my last VP (the one furtherst down of map) was only had 2 min to finish being contested (talk about bummer )

I think that it's always worth to have victory: captured weapons, career points and reputation points (along with experience your troops gain) is best reward. That said, your losses are too high. On my second attempt at Chickamauga, I won as CSA (brig general difficulty) with 16k casualties but captured ~8k Springfield's 1861, ~600 JF whatitsname scoped rifles, 450 Spencer repeaters and ~30 20Pdr Parrots (not much of use but good for cash).

I won it by holding union on right flank and sweeping it from left with my best brigades. But it was very costly, some of my brigades finished with less than 300 men (started with full 2000)

AI always attacked woods in my battles, probably because I station 2 art units there (and third at church fortification). I guess this is what "draws" it to the woods I agree with Don't Escrow Taxes that making firm stand in woods is a key, but I always drop back to thel left of Sunken road after some time, to prevent my troops taking to much casualties. By that time AI is significantly damaged so you should be able to defend Sunken road and counter attack in last part of battle. My toughest challenge at Antietam is defend that stone bridge in center, AI is very determined there and last time it also switched Burnside corps to attack in center, overwhelming my defense which made me to rush reinforcements from north and south to plug gap. But this is why I like this game so much, AI always surprise me in some way

Just finished this battle (normal level) and it's very bloody...lost 19k to Union 41k (almost entire Union army was wiped out). Not sure if I can lower casualties since there are many objectives required to be captured and most of battle is in thick forest. Interestingly, I didn't have all of my units in battle (had 2 corps with 20 brigades each), numbers were roughly the same (my 42k to Union 44k). My 2 full corps were about 52k so I was short of my 10k men (would be very handy to had them). Scaling I presume?

Can you be more specific about those problematic battles? I also play as CSA and all minor battles are not that hard to win (with lower casualties than reward for win) except Rio Hill. On which level of difficulty are you playing?

I've just finished Chancellorsville with latest patch as CSA and strange thing happened on 2nd day. My flanking force, which was supposed to flank XI Corps, encountered only 2 inf and 2 art Union brigades...while most of Union troops attacked aggressively my holding corps on right flank. I think I could probably took farm if I pressed hard, since it was not heavily defended and my flanking corp was intact. My question: is this intentional behavior of AI or bug? In any case, it was really good feeling to be surprised by AI aggressiveness

I think that's the point, you can use different type of units for same tasks - but you need to use them differently to achieve same goals. That allows different "player styles"...isn't that a beautiful thing ?

Well, I play on brigadier General level and use my cavalry mostly as Shock (Melee) Cavalry...but I find latest patch really good in regards how it has been tuned. For instance, at Rio Hill small battle, I specifically formed one full (750 man) brigade dedicated to chase done those pesky Union skirmishers. It performed good on open field but once I used them to charge in woods, I got 1:1 ratio of kill:lost on single 210 man Union 3* skirmisher brigade. So...should I be displeased that my Shock Cav under-preformed in woods? Especially since it cut to pieces artillery and skirmisher units on open field? My point is: let devs model units as close as to historical, and players can chose how to use them - that's most fun imo. I personally will continue to use Melee Cavalry to chase down skirmishers, artillery and wagons and to attack already routed infantry.

I think that, with latest patch, Melee Cav is tuned superbly. It still can wreck havoc on skirmishers and art in open, much more difficult in woods now. It's more realistic now, previously I got a feeling that Melee cav was almost unstoppable while charging (regardless of terrain).

I think it's also in major battles. I've just finished 2nd Bull Run and I had faced 69k Union troops compared to mine puny 25k in 2 corps Man, that was one tough and bloody battle